Why I Chose To Go Organic

I used to think that buying organic meant you had to have dreads, dress like a hippie and drive a VW van. Though I have made it known that I would love to own a VW van, that is about the only thing in this misconception that I am attracted to. Over time, as I have studied nutrition, I have begun to see value in buying certain products Organic. I slowly began to make the switch and have noticed a difference in taste and quality of these products. Today I would like to walk you through some of the information that swayed me in this direction.

Potentially Harmful Chemicals

Every day we encounter a multitude of chemicals. Our bodies are constantly working at flushing these chemicals out of our system before they do us too much harm. Unfortunately the levels of chemicals being found in humans has far surpassed what our bodies can handle. Many of these chemicals are ingested when we eat fruits, vegetables and grains. I want to talk a little more about these chemicals below.

Glyphosates

Glyphosates are some of the most dangerous pesticides used on our crops today. The craziest part about these chemicals is that they are known toxins, but because they won’t kill you until you’ve had a certain amount, producers are allowed to spray them on their products. These chemicals, and many others, have been linked to numerous adult diseases and developmental issues in children. Recent speculation is that they may be suspect for the increase in cancer and autoimmune disease. I say speculation because I’m not a fan of scare tactics and more research needs to be done. It is believed that roundup may alter our gut microbiome which can have serious health implications. Which leads me to my next point: There is little research done on these chemicals before they are OK’d for mainstream use! Considering how many hoops you have to jump through just to sell a brownie out of your home, you would assume pesticides would be put through a rigorous testing protocol.

Round-up

Glyphosates are one of the popular ingredients in the pesticide round up ‘a probable human carcinogen.’ Its no secret that roundup has been linked to many health problems including cancer and hormone disruption. Roundup is advertised as being biodegradable and deactivated when it hits the soil. A court in France ruled in 2009 that Monsanto (the creator of roundup) had lied about the safety of his product. The European Union ruled it “Dangerous for the environment” You can buy this stuff right off the shelf and use it on your own plants and lawn. As someone who suffers from autoimmune issues, my body has enough trouble dealing with food, let alone what’s being sprayed on it.

Support Local

Buying organic often opens doors for buying local food. When you buy local you can ask questions and guarantee you are getting a chemical free product. I now buy all our meat locally, and vegetables when they are available. Check your area for a local farmers market!

What about cost?

I hear you! Some things are just too expensive to buy organic. Maybe you barely come in under your grocery budget as it is. There are some steps you can take that will help decrease the amount of chemicals on your food.

Soak your produce for at least 15minutes (vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner)